Mobile Numbering and Addressing

The ability to identify and address mobile communication users, who may be anywhere in the world, presents considerably more challenges than in the fixed networks. In addition, services such as group calls and broadcast calls create the need for unique identification of selected groups of users.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T) Recommendation E.212 defines the identification plan for mobile subscribers, whilst the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) numbering plan for mobile stations and the allocation of mobile station roaming numbers is defined in ITU-T Recommendation E.213.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP™) has based its specifications on these ITU Recommendations. 3GPP™ Technical Specification TS 23.003 on 3GPP website (see also ETSI standards search) defines identification plans for GSM, UTRAN (3G) and Wireless Local Area Networks, as well as for network components, groups of users etc.